Zach Parise and Ryan Suter sat before Twin Cities media Monday for the first time as members of the Minnesota Wild. And for one of the two headline free-agent signees, it was a time to apologize.

"Hopefully everyone can forgive both of us for not choosing the Gophers about 10 years ago," Parise said. In the State of Hockey, not going to Minnesota for college hockey is akin to throwing back a lunker walleye.

So a decade after making their college choices—Parise to North Dakota, Suter to Wisconsin—the prodigal sons returned home. Friends and long-time U.S. national team members, they celebrated the Fourth of July as the NHL's highest profile free agents to sign contracts.

Monday, they got their "you betcha" moment.

"They have transformed our franchise," owner Craig Leipold said of GM Chuck Fletcher's ambitious decision to pursue Parise, a forward, and Suter, a defenseman. Matching 13-year, $98 million contracts made it possible. But both men heard a calling in their decision.

"I knew I wanted to play at home," Parise said, "and I knew I wanted to finish my career at home. There wasn't any hesitation at all."

Parise's decision saw him leave the New Jersey Devils, whom he helped reach the 2012 Stanley Cup finals. Suter left the Nashville Predators, in what proved to be an agonizing decision.

"It hurts me to leave Nashville," Suter said Monday, "because they've done so much for me."

Parise's father was a key member of the Minnesota North Stars, who left the Twin Cities for Dallas.

Suter's father, Bob, was on the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" U.S. Olympic team. His uncle, Gary, was a long-time NHL star.

Life brought them together so often it was hard for Parise to know when he and Suter decided to join forces.

"We coincidentally were free agents at the same time," Parise said. "A couple years ago at least we might have joked about it here and there.

"Leading up to July 1, we started to get real serious about it. We both felt this would be a great fit for both of us."

Wild coach Mike Yeo can be forgiven for pinching himself at his good fortune. Even in the loaded Western Conference, Yeo sees his team as a contender.

"We believe we're that much closer," Yeo said. "There's that much more excitement ... knowing what these guys are capable of. It changes the way we view ourselves."

It also changes the way fans look at the Wild. Since the twin signings were announced, the team sold 2,000 season tickets, Leipold said.

Thirty minutes of feel-good talk left the Wild with heightened expectation. No problem.

"We took our shot and went for both of them," Fletcher said, "and we're very fortunate they decided to come here."

— Material from the Minnesota Wild, St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minneapolis Star Tribune contributed to this story